Vacuum cleaner

ABSTRACT

A vacuum cleaner including a motor housing having a suction source, a suction opening, an exhaust opening, and an air passageway in fluid communication with the suction source and the exhaust opening. A filter receives the suction airflow between the suction opening and the exhaust opening and the filter is expandable in response to the suction airflow traveling through the filter. The vacuum further includes a container in which the filter is located and the container includes a wall and ribs. The ribs limit expansion of the filter to create a gap between the filter and the wall. The suction airflow travels from the filter through the gap towards the exhaust opening. The motor housing is releasably coupled to the container, and the gap between the filter and the container wall is in fluid communication with the motor housing air passageway.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 62/637,858 filed Mar. 2, 2018, the entire contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners.

Vacuum cleaners typically include a suction source that draws debrisinto a debris separator. In some vacuum cleaners the debris separator isa cyclonic separator assembly. In some vacuum cleaners the debrisseparator is a filter bag. The filter bag both filters the suctionairflow and also stores the debris in the bag. The bag is emptied orreplaced when the bag is full. Changing the filter bag can requiredisassembly of the vacuum to access the compartment where the bag ishoused in the vacuum.

In addition to the primary debris separator, vacuum cleaners can includeadditional filters, such as pre and post motor filters. These filtersalso require periodic replacement.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment a vacuum cleaner includes a motor housing including asuction source operable to generate a suction airflow and a suctionopening in fluid communication with the suction source. The suctionopening is configured to receive airflow entering the vacuum cleaner.The motor housing further includes an exhaust opening in fluidcommunication with the suction source configured to discharge theairflow from the vacuum cleaner and an air passageway in fluidcommunication with the suction source and the exhaust opening. Thevacuum further includes a container and a filter that receives thesuction airflow between the suction opening and the exhaust opening. Thefilter is expandable in response to the suction airflow travelingthrough the filter and the filter is configured separate debris from thesuction airflow and store the debris within the filter. The container iswhere the filter is located and the container includes a wall and ribs.The ribs limit expansion of the filter to create a gap between thefilter and the wall and the suction airflow travels from the filterthrough the gap towards the exhaust opening. The motor housing isreleasably coupled to the container and the gap between the filter andthe container wall is in fluid communication with the motor housing airpassageway.

In another embodiment a vacuum cleaner includes a suction sourceoperable to generate a suction airflow, a suction opening in fluidcommunication with the suction source configured to receive airflowentering the vacuum cleaner, an exhaust opening in fluid communicationwith the suction source configured to discharge the airflow from thevacuum cleaner, and a filter that receives the suction airflow betweenthe suction opening and the exhaust opening. The filter is configuredseparate debris from the suction airflow and store the debris within thefilter. The vacuum further includes a container in which the filter islocated and a lid releasably coupled to the container. The lid ismovable between an open position and a closed position. The lid includesa plenum that is in a flow path of the suction airflow between thefilter and the exhaust opening.

In another embodiment, a vacuum cleaner includes a suction opening influid communication with the suction source configured to receiveairflow entering the vacuum cleaner, an exhaust opening in fluidcommunication with the suction source configured to discharge theairflow from the vacuum cleaner, and a debris separator that receivesthe suction airflow between the suction opening and the exhaust opening.The debris separator is configured separate debris from the suctionairflow and store the debris within the debris separator. The vacuumfurther includes a container in which the debris separator is locatedand a suction source operable to generate a suction airflow. The suctionsource includes a motor in an airflow passageway between the debrisseparator and the exhaust opening. The vacuum further includes a filterthat surrounds the motor around a motor axis.

Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration ofthe detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 with outercover details of the vacuum cleaner not shown.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the vacuum of FIG. 3 with a lid in anopen position.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the vacuum of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the vacuum of FIG. 3including a schematic representation of a filter.

FIG. 6a is a partial cross-sectional view of the vacuum of FIG. 3including a schematic representation of cyclonic separator.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a cage of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a top view of a container of a vacuum cleaner with a lidremoved according to an alternative embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the lid of the vacuum of FIG. 8.

Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it isto be understood that the invention is not limited in its application tothe details of construction and the arrangement of components set forthin the following description or illustrated in the following drawings.The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced orof being carried out in various ways.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a vacuum 10. The vacuum 10 includes a container 12and a motor housing or lid 14 that is releasably coupled to thecontainer 12. As will be discussed in more detail below, the container12 and motor housing 14 are releaseably coupled for easy access to thedebris separator of the vacuum 10 so that a user can easily change thefilters and/or empty the debris separator and access components of thevacuum 10.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the motor housing 14 forms a lid of thecontainer 12. The motor housing 14 includes a suction source 16, asuction opening 18, and an exhaust opening 20. The exhaust opening 20 isin fluid communication with the suction source 16 of the housing 14. Theexhaust opening 20 discharges suction airflow from the vacuum 10. Thesuction source 16 includes a motor 22 and fan 24. The motor 22 rotatesthe fan 24 about a motor axis 26 to generate a suction airflow throughthe suction opening 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the motor 22 is aDC motor powered by a removable and rechargeable battery 29. In otherembodiments, the motor can be powered by alternating current.

The suction opening 18 is in fluid communication with the suction source16 as will be discussed in more detail below. The suction opening 18receives the suction airflow entering the vacuum cleaner 10. In theillustrated embodiment a suction hose 28 (FIG. 1) is removably attachedto the suction opening 18. A distal end of the suction hose 28 mayinclude a floor nozzle or accessory tool having an inlet to receive thesuction airflow into the suction hose 28 to the suction opening 18.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the motor housing or lid 14 is releasablycoupled to the container 12 so that the motor housing 14 is movablebetween a closed position (FIG. 3) and an open position (FIG. 4). In theillustrated embodiment, the motor housing 14 is pivotally coupled to thecontainer 12 for movement between the open and closed positions. Asshown, the suction source 16 remains with the motor housing 14 formovement between the open and closed positions relative to the container12.

Referring to FIG. 2, the motor housing 14 further includes a plenum 30.The suction source 16 is located within the motor housing 14 and thesuction source 16 draws in air from the plenum 30. A supply duct 32 mayextend through the plenum 14 or be positioned outside of the plenum tosupply the suction airflow from the suction opening 18 to the container12.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a filter 34, which is a premotor filter,surrounds the motor 22 and the motor axis 26. In the illustratedembodiment, the filter 34 surrounds the motor axis 26 by 360 degrees andthe plenum 30 surrounds the filter 34 configured to provide air flowaround the filter. In this embodiment, the suction airflow enters thefilter 34 and travels toward the fan 24 from 360 degrees around themotor axis 26. In an alternative embodiment, the filter is positioned inthe motor housing 14 across an air flow path between the plenum 30 andthe motor 22. In one embodiment, the filter 34 is a pleated HEPA filter.A filter lid 36 is removably coupled to a lower wall 38, or optionally aside or upper wall, of the motor housing 14 configured to close afilter-access opening through the motor housing. The lid 36 is removableto access the filter 34 so that the user can remove the filter 34through the filter-access opening when the filter lid 36 is removed. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the filter 34 is removable in a directionalong the motor axis 26. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the filter lid 36presses the filter 34 against a filter seat 37 to seal the filter 34into the airflow passageway between the plenum 30 and the motor 22.

Referring to FIG. 2, the vacuum 10 further includes a debris separator40 located within the container 12. In the embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 4-6, the debris separator 40 includes a filter bag 42. In otherembodiments, such as the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6a , the debrisseparator 40 can include a cyclonic separator. In other alternatives,the debris separator may be a pleated filter or other type of filter andthe like. The debris separator 40 receives suction airflow from thesupply duct 32 as indicated by arrow 44 in FIGS. 2 and 6 a. For a debrisseparator 40 including a filter bag such as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and6, the filter 42 expands in response to the suction airflow travelinginto and through the filter 42. The filter 42 forms a dust collectionchamber such that debris is separated from the suction airflow and thedebris remains within the filter 42 while the clean airflow travelsthrough the filter 42.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 6, the filter 42 is located inside thecontainer 12. The container 12 includes walls 46 and one or more ribs48. The walls 46 define an interior of the container 12. In oneembodiment, the walls 46 (including the walls of the motor housing 14)are formed by a foam housing 52. The foam housing 52 includes a foammaterial, such as a foam of polyurethane, polyether, polyisocyanurate,rubber, or any combinations thereof, or other polymeric foams. The foammaterial may be a resilient or semi-resilient foam. Alternatively, thefoam material may be a rigid or semi-rigid foam. The foam material maybe selected to provide sound dampening properties reducing noise fromthe vacuum 10 during operation. Optionally, an outer surface of the foamhousing is covered with a layer of textile, film, or cladding coveringmaterial providing one or more surface properties such as waterrepellency, griping surface, soft surface, other tactile surface,chemical resistance, protective surface, strength, reinforcement,reflective or high-visibility surface, decoration, or other propertiesas desired.

The ribs 48 extend from the walls 46. In the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and7, the vacuum 10 includes a cage 50 that is received within thecontainer 12 and can be removed from the container 12. The cage 50includes the ribs 48. In an alternative embodiment (FIG. 8), the ribs 48are integrally formed with the walls 46. In the embodiment shown in FIG.8, the container 12 optionally is removable from a foam housing 52 thatsurrounds the container 12. In one embodiment, the foam housing 52 is beintegrally molded around the container 12 or otherwise attached to thecontainer 12.

In operation, the suction source 16 generates the suction airflow thatdraws the airflow and debris into the vacuum 10 through the suctionopening 18. The airflow and debris travel through the supply duct 32 andinto the filter 42. The airflow causes the filter 42 to expand to theposition shown in FIG. 2. The ribs 48 limit expansion of the filter 42.That is, the one or more ribs 48 hold a portion of the filter media ofthe filter 42 away from the wall 46. Therefore, a gap 58 is createdbetween the filter 42 and the walls 46 of the container 12 defined bythe one or more ribs 48. Debris is separated by the filter 42 and thedebris is stored in the filter 42. The relatively clean air passesthrough the filter 42 into the gap 58, which forms an air returnpassageway as indicated by arrows 60.

In the illustrated embodiment, such as shown in FIG. 4, the air returnpassageway, or gap 58, extends around the perimeter of the container 12.Alternatively, the air return passageway as indicated by arrows 60, mayextend around a portion of the perimeter. The motor housing 14 includesa corresponding gap 62 around the perimeter of the lower wall 38 of themotor housing 14 forming a plenum inlet opening 62. The plenum inletopening or gap 62 forms an air passageway into the plenum 30 of themotor housing 14. When the motor housing 14 is in the closed position(FIG. 2) the plenum inlet opening 62 and the air return passageway 60 ofthe container are connected for fluid communication. In the illustratedembodiment, when the motor housing 14 is in the closed position (FIG. 2)the gaps 58, 62 are aligned so that the airflow can pass from the gap 58through the gap 62 and into the plenum 30. When the motor housing 14 isin the open position (FIG. 4) the plenum inlet opening 62 and the airreturn passageway 60 of the container, gaps 58, 62, are disconnected. Inthe alternative illustrated in FIG. 6a , the air return passageway asindicated by arrow 60, includes a duct configured to connect with acorresponding plenum inlet opening on the motor housing 14 in fluidcommunication when the motor housing 14 is in the closed position.

Referring to FIG. 2, the suction airflow, represented by arrows 66passes from the air return passageway and plenum inlet opening into theplenum 30 and then through the premotor filer 34. After passing throughthe filter 34, the airflow travels through the fan 24 and then isexhausted from the vacuum 10 through the exhaust opening 20, representedby arrow 68. In one embodiment, the exhaust opening 20 includes bafflesand/or foam members along the air flow path to muffle the sound of theair flowing out of the exhaust opening 20.

Referring to FIG. 1, in the illustrated construction, the vacuum cleaner10 includes a shoulder harness 70 and a waist belt 72. The illustratedvacuum cleaner 10 can be worn on the back of a user using the harness 70and the belt 72. Also, the illustrated vacuum cleaner 10 includes afabric exterior shell 74. The shell 74 includes a zipper 76. The zipper76 holds the motor housing 14 in the closed positioned. If the userdesires to open the motor housing 14, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the useropens the zipper 76 and pivots the housing 14 to the open position. Inthe open position, the supply duct 32 is disconnected from fluidcommunication with the debris separator 40 and corresponding dustcollection chamber. The motor housing 14 is opened so that the user caneasily access filter 42 to remove and replace the filter 42, or access acyclonic dust collection chamber 78 such as shown in FIG. 6a . Thefilter 42 is removed by lifting the filter 42 out of the container 12and dropping a new filter 42 back into the container 12. Also, the usercan easily access and remove filter lid 36 to replace the filter 34 whenthe motor housing 14 is opened. The user closes the motor housing 14 toreconnect the supply duct 32 to the debris separator 40 or filter 42 andthe vacuum 10 is ready for use.

Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in thefollowing claims.

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a motor housing including; a suctionsource operable to generate a suction airflow; a suction opening influid communication with the suction source, the suction openingconfigured to receive airflow entering the vacuum cleaner; an exhaustopening in fluid communication with the suction source configured todischarge the airflow from the vacuum cleaner; and an air passageway influid communication with the suction source and the exhaust opening; afilter that receives the suction airflow between the suction opening andthe exhaust opening, the filter expandable in response to the suctionairflow traveling through the filter, the filter configured separatedebris from the suction airflow and store the debris within the filter;and a container in which the filter is located, the container includes awall and ribs, wherein the ribs limit expansion of the filter to createa gap between the filter and the wall, and wherein the suction airflowtravels from the filter through the gap towards the exhaust opening;wherein the motor housing is releasably coupled to the container suchthat the motor housing is movable between an open position and a closedposition, and wherein the gap between the filter and the container wallis in fluid communication with the motor housing air passageway when themotor housing is in the closed position and the motor housing airpassageway and the gap are disconnected from fluid communication whenthe motor housing is in the open position, wherein the motor housingincludes a supply duct that provides fluid communication between thesuction opening and the filter, wherein the supply duct is disconnectedfrom fluid communication with the filter when the motor housing is inthe open position and the supply duct is connected to the filter forfluid communication when the motor housing is in the closed position. 2.The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the ribs extend from the wall. 3.The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the ribs are integrally formedwith the wall.
 4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, further comprising afoam housing, wherein the container is located inside the housing. 5.The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the wall is an interior wall ofthe container and the ribs are removable from the wall.
 6. The vacuumcleaner of claim 1, wherein the gap between the filter and the containerwall is aligned with the motor housing air passageway.
 7. The vacuumcleaner of claim 1, wherein the wall includes a foam wall.
 8. The vacuumcleaner of claim 1, further comprising a shoulder harness such that thevacuum cleaner is a backpack vacuum cleaner.
 9. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the motor housing includes a plenum that is in a flowpath of the suction airflow between the filter and the exhaust opening.10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein in the open position of themotor housing, the filter is accessible by a user to remove the filterfrom the container.
 11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein theplenum is in the flow path of the suction airflow between the filter andthe suction source.
 12. (canceled)
 13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1,wherein the supply duct extends through the plenum.
 14. The vacuumcleaner of claim 9, wherein the container includes an air returnpassageway, wherein the motor housing includes a plenum inlet openingcorresponding with the air return passageway, and wherein the plenuminlet opening and the air return passageway of the container areconnected for fluid communication when the motor housing is in theclosed position and the plenum inlet opening and the air returnpassageway are disconnected from fluid communication when the motorhousing is in the open position.
 15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14,wherein the gap forms the air return passageway such that the suctionairflow travels from the filter through the gap towards the plenum. 16.The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the suction source includes amotor, the vacuum cleaner further comprising a second filter thatsurrounds the motor around a motor axis.
 17. The vacuum cleaner of claim16, wherein the motor housing air passageway is configured for airflowto enter the second filter 360 degrees around the motor axis.
 18. Thevacuum cleaner of claim 16, further comprising a filter lid, the filterlid removably coupled to the motor housing of the vacuum to allow accessto the second filter.
 19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein thefilter lid is inaccessible when the motor hosing is in the closedposition and the filter lid is accessible by a user to open the filterlid when the motor housing of the vacuum is in the open position. 20.The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein the filter lid presses thesecond filter against a filter seat to seal the second filter in themotor housing air passageway.
 21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, whereinthe container includes a first side and a second side opposite the firstside, wherein the motor is adjacent the first side of the container andthe supply duct is disconnected from fluid communication with the filterand connected to the filter for fluid communication adjacent the firstside of the container.